International News

News from outside of Canada.

Mexican prison riot leaves 52 dead on day before pope arrives

February 11, 2016

MEXICO CITY - A prison riot in the northern Mexican city of Monterrey has claimed 52 lives, offering another example of the problems plaguing Mexico's prison system and casting a pall over the arrival of Pope Francis in the country.

Disillusioned Mexicans await Pope Francis’ visit

February 11, 2016

MEXICO CITY - On a recent morning outside the Church of San Agustin in the middle-class neighbourhood of Narvarte, two students sell bric-a-brac and blast the Beatles’ “Let It Be” through a smartphone hooked up to speakers.

Ukrainians: don’t throw us under the bus

February 10, 2016

Nobody wants the Pope to meet Moscow’s Orthodox patriarch more than the Ukrainian Catholics, but the Eastern-rite Catholics want to be sure their Church is treated as a full partner in the dialogue between Rome and Moscow.

Communist official to religious leaders: Promote Chinese culture

February 9, 2016

BEIJING - A top Politburo official told faith leaders that religious groups must promote Chinese culture and become more compatible with socialism.

Pope sends condolences after earthquake in Taiwan

February 8, 2016

TAINAN, Taiwan - Pope Francis sent condolences to Taiwan following an earthquake that left at least 37 people dead as the island prepared to celebrate Chinese New Year, reported ucanews.com.

Obama: An attack on one faith is attack on all faiths

February 6, 2016

In an exclusive commentary for Religion News Service, President Barack Obama makes the case for religious freedom.

European bishops welcome EU classification of Islamic State 'genocide'

February 5, 2016

MANCHESTER, England - A European bishops' commission has welcomed a move by the European Parliament to classify atrocities and religious cleansing by the Islamic State as genocide.

Honduran cardinal warns against abortion for Zika fetuses

February 5, 2016

Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, a top adviser to Pope Francis, has denounced the idea of “therapeutic abortions” — which are carried out because of fetal abnormalities — as a response to birth defects caused by the mosquito-borne Zika virus that is setting off alarms throughout Latin America.

Obama pleads for tolerance in first visit to U.S. mosque

February 4, 2016

CATONSVILLE, Md. - In times of rising Islamophobia, U.S. President Barack Obama made a plea for religious tolerance during his first presidential visit to an American mosque.

Jordan says it cannot continue to bear brunt of Syrian refugee crisis

February 3, 2016

AL-KHALDIYA, Jordan - As a donors conference to stem the Syrian refugee crisis opens in London, Syria's neighbors, which have hosted hundreds of thousands of refugees for the past five years, say they cannot continue to bear the brunt of the burden.